In present practice, it is commcn to manufacture a loose-leaf binder with a cover consisting of a top cover member, bottom cover member and a narrow spine or bridging member. The bridging member is connected to the top cover member at a first hinge line, and to the bottom cover member at a second hinge line to permit the cover to lay flat when opened. A metal binder assembly (usually of the three-ring type) is riveted or otherwise fixed to either the bridging member or the bottom cover member. There are several problems associated with such manufacture. First, considerable labour may be involved in forming the cover members (although the practice has arisen of integrally forming the cover members by cutting the cover from a sheet of plastic material). Second, a metal binder assembly is relatively expensive, and some manipulation of such an assembly is required during securement to a cover, making manufacture not altogether simple.
It is an object of the invention to provide a loose-leaf binder with a basic construction that is simple to manufacture and assemble.
It is also an object of the invention to provide various features which make a loose-leaf binder a more effective tool for use by a commuter who may wish to work during transit in limited space without interfering with other commuters. In a preferred embodiment, various features are provided to permit better organization and use of loose-leaf materials.